TROPICAL CYCLONE HAYLEY BEARS DOWN ON AUSTRALIA: ‘Leave Now or Risk Your Life’ – Desperate Warning Issued as 200km/h Winds and Flash Flooding Threaten to Devastate Western Australia’s North
- Tropical Cyclone Hayley is expected to make landfall on Tuesday night, bringing catastrophic winds of up to 200km/h and heavy rain to Western Australia’s northern Dampier Peninsula
- Residents are being told to EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY if they’re not prepared, with the Department of Fire and Emergency Services warning of a ‘possible threat to lives and homes’
- Communities in Queensland are also bracing for heavy monsoon rain and flash flooding, with six-hourly rainfall totals of up to 160mm predicted
Panic is gripping Western Australia’s far north as Tropical Cyclone Hayley hurtles towards the coast, with residents being told to leave immediately if they’re not prepared to face the fury of the category three storm.
‘If you live across the Kimberley area, now is the time to start thinking about preparing your tropical cyclone kit,’ warned meteorologist Sarah Scully on Monday night, as the Bureau of Meteorology forecast damaging 100km/h winds to develop over the region as early as Tuesday morning.
The Department of Fire and Emergency Services has issued a desperate warning, urging residents to flee the Dampier Peninsula if they’re not equipped to withstand the cyclone’s wrath. ‘There is a possible threat to lives and homes as a cyclone is approaching the area,’ the warning read.
Those who choose to stay at home are being advised to secure loose outdoor items, move vehicles under cover, fasten cyclone shutters, and ensure pets are safe. An evacuation centre has been set up at the Broome Recreation and Aquatic Centre for those in the warning area.
As the cyclone approaches, residents are being told to prepare their emergency kits with enough canned food and water to last a week, along with a first-aid kit, medication, cash, and a battery-operated radio to listen for warnings.
Meanwhile, communities in Queensland are continuing to battle heavy monsoon rain and flash flooding, with the bureau warning of six-hourly rainfall totals of up to 160mm on Tuesday. Although the rain forecast is expected to drop below severe levels later in the day, residents are being warned to remain vigilant.
‘We urge everyone in the affected areas to take this cyclone extremely seriously and take all necessary precautions to ensure their safety,’ Scully warned.